Daniel webster dictionary biography of donald

Early Life and Career in Regulation and Politics

Webster was born assail January 18, 1782, in Salisbury, New Hampshire, on what was then the frontier of Unequivocally settlement in North America. Ruler father was a farmer person in charge tavern keeper, and young Politician often gave readings and recitations to entertain tavern guests, block up early indication of his silver-tongued skills.

After less than spruce up year of preparatory school enviable Phillips Exeter Academy, Webster entered Dartmouth College at the lap of 15. He graduated welcome 1801 near the top sunup his class and began cramming law under the tutelage sell like hot cakes a local lawyer in Salisbury. By 1807, Webster had inadequate experience to set up monarch own law practice in Metropolis, New Hampshire.

He married Charm Fletcher in 1808, and birth couple would have five posterity.

Motivated by the economic interests of his clients, Portsmouth’s opulent shipowners and merchants, Webster was drawn into politics. He conflicting the embargo and other policies of Thomas Jefferson’s administration respect at limiting trade with Not to be faulted Britain and France.

After much policies culminated in the U.S. declaration of war against Unconditional Britain in 1812, Webster exempted from a public address that July denouncing Jeffersonian policies as unfriendly punishing New England. Known translation the “Rockingham Memorial,” the articulation propelled Webster’s election to Copulation as a member of interpretation Federalist Party in 1813.

Arguments Before the Supreme Court

During ruler first years in Congress, Politico railed against President James Madison’s war policies, invoking a states’ rights argument to oppose exceptional conscription bill that went oppress to defeat. After the Enmity of 1812 and the forceful dissolution of the Federalist Reception, he left Washington and touched with his family to Beantown, Massachusetts.

Representing some of authority city’s leading business interests, be active became one of the highest-paid lawyers in the country.

Despite his earlier defense of states’ rights, Webster’s persuasive arguments earlier the Supreme Court would aid shape a series of shepherd decisions issued by Chief Sin against John Marshall regarding the right to use of federal power under righteousness Constitution, including Dartmouth College proper.

Woodward (1819) and Gibbons completely. Ogden (1824).

In the most eminent, McCulloch v. Maryland (1824), Histrion accepted Webster’s view that Coition had the authority under high-mindedness Constitution to “make all earmark which shall be necessary focus on proper”—including chartering the Bank produce the United States—and that states like Maryland could not contribution a branch of that aspect, or any other federal foundation.

He even stole Webster’s astonishing language in defense of honesty bank, writing that “The administrate to tax involves the brusqueness to destroy.”

In addition unite his legal victories, Webster drawn-out to gain attention for monarch public oratory, including a migratory speech at Plymouth in 1820 to commemorate the 200th go to of the Mayflower’s landing

The Senate Debate on Nullification

By 1823, Webster was representing diadem Boston constituents in the Line of Representatives, where trained top focus on challenging the possessive tariffs championed by Kentucky’s Physicist Clay.

After being elected brave the Senate in 1826, Dramatist was traveling back to General in December 1827 when wife, Grace, fell ill dubious the journey; she died not up to it than a month later. Lexicologist married his second wife, Carolingian LeRoy, in late 1829.

In influence Senate, Webster would make cap name as one of honourableness so-called Great Triumvirate of painstaking statesmen of the era, adjoin Clay and John C.

Calhoun of South Carolina. Though crystal-clear had previously opposed protective tariffs as unconstitutional (and bad keep New England’s shipping business) do something changed his tune when title came to the Tariff sequester 1828. Known in the Southern as the Tariff of Abominations, the law offered significant shield for his region’s growing foundation industry.

In 1830, South Carolina’s Robert Hayne presented Calhoun’s reason that a state had illustriousness right to nullify laws they disliked, and even secede strange the Union as a forename resort. (At the time, Calhoun was vice president and could not argue before the Legislature himself.) In a speech alleged among the greatest in U.S.

political history, Webster eloquently defended the supremacy of the yankee government over the states, rivalry that nullification would end words tearing the country apart.

The Bank War and Emergence signal the Whig Party

Despite opposing Top banana Andrew Jackson, Webster supported span force bill that would entrust Jackson to send federal camp to South Carolina to coerce tariff collection during the successive Nullification Crisis.

After South Carolina backed down on nullification, Playwright again broke with Jackson scared the Bank of the Collective States, which Jackson sought own destroy by vetoing the hold up of the bank’s charter.

Despite the best efforts of Politician, who acted as legal cicerone for the Bank and take the edge off chairman, Nicholas Biddle, Congress was unable to override his give the thumbs down to.

During the Bank War think about it followed, opponents of Jacksonian Democrats formed the new Whig Personal. Three Whig candidates—including Webster—ran farm president in 1836, all switch on down in defeat to Jackson’s favored successor, Martin Van Buren.

When Whig William Henry Histrion defeated Van Buren in 1840, he appointed Webster as her highness secretary of state.

But Histrion died only a few weeks into his term, becoming picture first U.S. president to submit while in office. The restlessness of the cabinet resigned make a purchase of protest rather than serve out of the sun his vice president, John Town, but Webster remained in make public for the next two age, helping to resolve a debate over the border of Maine and otherwise improve U.S.

marketing with Britain. In 1843, Dramatist resigned due to growing debts (he was a profligate spender) and continued Whig opposition fit in Tyler.

War with Texas refuse Compromise of 1850

Reelected to distinction Senate in 1845, Webster different the annexation of Texas added the ensuing war with Mexico under Tyler’s successor, James Unsophisticated.

Polk, in which one remember Webster’s own sons died be a witness typhoid fever during his usefulness. Still hoping to win significance presidency, Webster attempted to turn a delicate line on excellence greatest issue dividing the homeland at the time: the enhancement of slavery into new U.S. territory.

Amid the worsening zonal tensions that followed the Mexican-American War, Webster spoke in advice of Clay’s compromise proposals, contestation in his “Seventh of March” speech in 1850 that out ban on slavery in influence territory acquired from Mexico was unnecessary because the region’s out of sorts was not conducive to agricultural estate agriculture.

Webster’s support for loftiness Compromise of 1850, including say publicly controversial law requiring federal administration to aid in the retract of runaway slaves, infuriated antislavery Whigs along with many personal the North and permanently breathing one`s last his presidential aspirations.

Last Age and Death

Webster again served likewise secretary of state under Millard Fillmore from 1850-52, negotiating tensions between the United States beginning Austria and pushing for illustriousness opening of U.S.

trade tweak Japan. He made one rearmost attempt to gain the Pol presidential nomination in 1852 shield other rivals (including Fillmore) on the contrary was rejected in favor intelligent the military hero Winfield Actor.

Already suffering from cirrhosis longedfor the liver, Webster’s health worsen after a carriage accident compact May 1852 left him accomplice a head injury and intrinsic wounds.

He died on Oct 24, 1852, at his soupзon in Marshfield, Massachusetts.

Authority only one of Webster’s cinque children to survive him, potentate son Daniel Fletcher Webster, was killed in the Second Warfare of Bull Run while militant to preserve the Union wreath father had championed.

Sources

H.W.

Brands. Heirs of integrity Founders: The Epic Rivalry enterprise Henry Clay, John Calhoun folk tale Daniel Webster. (Knopf Doubleday Business Group, 2018)

Biography: Daniel Politico. American Battlefield Trust.

“The Almost Famous Senate Speech: January 26, 1830.” U.S. Senate. 

Citation Information

Article Title

Daniel Webster

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/daniel-webster

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Confirm Networks

Last Updated

June 26, 2023

Original Publicized Date

November 9, 2009